It’s summer time!!! Time for fun and pleasure, vacations and summer camps!

However, if students don’t take lessons over the long summer break, it can be all the hard work put in over the year to get erased by 2-3 months of not touching a piano… Although many of my students do take summer lessons, the schedule isn’t as predictable as during the year. The usual routines are broken and piano practice can often just get forgotten. Plus it can be hard to go inside and play piano when all the other kids are outside playing! Here is some tips to keep your child practicing during this excited time of the year.

Keep it Positive

Even though it is important to keep practicing the piano during the summer, don’t scold or threaten your child into doing it. Piano practice should be something enjoyable. Invite your child to join you for practice time, keep practice sessions short, and encourage your child to just have fun at the keyboard with creative musical play, and let them know how delighted you are any time they choose to make music.

Choose a regular practice time

The practice time that worked best during the school year might not be the best time during the summer. With your child, choose a time that won’t conflict with other summer activities, a time when both of you can focus on piano practice.

Early is best

The best time for piano practice (by my experience) early in the day. First thing in the morning, before friends come over, or it’s time to head to the pool, that’s the best. If you save piano practice for later, it might be forgotten in the busy fun of the day.

Be flexible

With vacations, summer camps, and other away-from-home adventures, your child might not have access to a piano every day. When there is a piano available, do your best to keep up with the practice routine. If you miss a day of practice, get back to it as soon as possible. The longer your child goes without daily practice, the more catch-up time will be needed later.